TV Jones TV Tron Plus

Pickup features: Filtertron-style mini humbucker in a full-sized humbucker cover
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: 1995 Heritage H-555
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Gibson 57 Classic humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: TV Tron Classic
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Classic rock
Reason for pickup change: The Gibson Classic 57 was the muddiest and worst pickup I've ever had.

Perceived output level: Strong output, easily equal to a PAF
Tone: This is a very balanced, sparkly, open sounding pickup. This guitar is all maple, ES335 style semi-hollowbody, with a maple neck and an ebony fretboard. It is so similar to a Gretsch in materials that it just made sense to put a Filtertron pickup in it. A clean humbucker is not a sound I like, so this fixed that problem. I agree with the other reviewer that this pickup is very single-coil like in tone. I would say 2/3rds single coil, 1/3rd humbucker characterisitics. Very open and dynamic. Sparkly, jangly.
Sonic evaluation: I am playing classic rock covers straight through, no effects, to a '65 Deluxe and a '68 Super Reverb. I put a Torres Bluesbucker wiring harness in this guitar, and the midrange cut pot they have in their helps keep this pickup from getting too bright/piercing. Once again, I agree with the other reviewer - there is no midrange honk with this pickup. I love the responsiveness of this pickup. Play softly and it's a beutiful clean sound, then just dig in and it instantly overdrives.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Anything but heavy metal.

Comments: I've been playing 23 years, and this is the finest bridge pickup I've ever used, period. They are expensive, but well worth it. I'm thrilled because now this guitar is "set", no need for any further revisions. It's nice to have a product so good the search is over.

Pickup features: Passive Filtertron-style humbucker, resized for standard humbucker cavity.
Impedence or other specs: 7.8k ohms ("Plus" is the overwound bridge version of the 4.8k ohmTV'Tron)

Model of guitar or bass: Squier Standard Fat Strat (H/S/S p/u configuration)
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock open-coil humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: 2 single-coil, staggered Strat 50's/60's type
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Straightforward rock / blues - based pop
Reason for pickup change: Had wanted a set of std Filtertrons for a Tele Custom for a while. They were out of stock, but I decided to try the hot version in the Strat -- its humbucker was ok, but had no particular character. The guitar itself (strangely for a Chinese Squier) has a bit of vibe to it, and seemed to deserve a more distinctive tone from the bridge position. I had recently played a couple of songs live, using someone else's Gretsch, and the 'Tron Plus had sounded pretty
wonderful thru an old Silvertone amp the guy had found
in the trash. I figured it'd sound at least as good thru
my Princeton Reverb. I also felt that the tone would be
even a bit better from a Fender, with the slightly longer
scale length perhaps contributing a bit more "snap" than
was present with the Gretsch.

Perceived output level: The Plus is indeed somewhat louder than the standard humbusker it replaced. It drives the amp fairly hard.
Tone: Great high bite and low growl, with just a smidge of vowel-ish midrange (but no HONK!) so that it doesn't sound overly scooped. Great combination.
Sonic evaluation: Thru the Princeton, it's a perfect match -- particularly for leads.
I've steered clear of humbuckers for years because of all the midrange
mush and lack of defined pick attack that most 'buckers have. This
baby cures the honkin' blues, and gives an absolutely astonishing
response to pick attack -- quite akin to a good single coil.
The note explodes immediately, then the overtones kick in. It has
a tonal response unlike anything else I've heard, and despite the
fact that it has true sizzle in all registers, it retains a good deal
of clarity. I had more trouble that I'd expected with the installation, both because my pickguard was routed for an uncovered
humbucker (radii in the corners) and because the height-adjusting screw/spring is too deep for a Strat (I cut off 1/4" after I had
it threaded properly.) I was muttering to myself that this
had damn well better have been worth the time, effort, and outlay.
Well, hearing was believing, and this thing lives up to the
well deserved buzz and hype -- even at this money.
I found myself liking it just slightly less thru my Carvin
16/5. Though the bass was tighter on account of the more
robust 100-watt, 12-inch speaker, the EL84 output tubes
brought out a bit more of the mids than the Fender. As you
may have guessed by now, I don't like mids much. The Carvin
fattens a single-coil Strat bridge pickup nicely, but I have
yet to hear a humbucker not get at leas a little honky
through it. Nevertheless, though I preferred the 'Tron through
the Fender, it is by far the best-sounding humbucker I've tried
through the 16/5.
One more thing: This pickup seems to sound progressively
better the louder you play. Driving the amp harder does not
cause the sound to mush -- the clarity and bark are always
very much in evidence. Ever heard someone playing, say, DiMarzios
through a Marshall, and think to yourself that every note sounds
like it's coming through a phase shifter? You won't hear that
muck with this pickup. Turn it up.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I like my stuff to go from the output jack to the amp input, period. My playing is blues-ish, my writing more pop. This pickup works.

Comments: Well: The Stew-Mac Golden Age humbuckers on my Tele Custom will
be the next to go. (They're great pickups, by the way, but they're
much too mellow-sounding to be taking up space on a Tele...)
I'm thinking that I'll back-order a mixed set of TV's -- the
thinner-sounding standard TV'Tron for the neck, and another Plus
for the bridge. These are the ONLY 'buckers anybody needs to
consider if they're looking to retain a primarily single-coil
sound, but with increased output, a distinctive tone, and
barely any noise. If Stew-Mac had had all 3 in stock at once,
then I might have had to bounce the mortgage ('TV's are NOT cheap) but they are one of those rare products which is actually worth the dough if you're looking for a particular sound and are willing to
pay the freight to get it.
The stock single-coils on my little Asian Strat actually sound
darn good; the 'Tron Plus adds a whole 'nuther vibe to the bridge.
As satisfying as anything else I've tried in 25 years of playing.